Council threatens on-the-spot fines for tombstoning from Bridlington seawall

• Video report by Matt Price.

People caught jumping off the seawall at Bridlington - an activity known as tombstoning - are being warned they could now end up with a £1,000 fine.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said the town has experienced a number of incidents which risk the safety of those jumping in and people who may have to rescue them.

New laws will now enable staff to issue fixed penalty notices of £75 to those tombstoning, which could increase to £1,000 if not paid.

RNLI crew member and Harbour Master Lawrence Porter warns there are hidden dangers in the sea at Bridlington.

He said: "People who have done it the day before and come again to do it the day after, there might have been something else that's washed in like underlying logs, rope, spikes, anything like that.

"Not everything is exposed on top of the water, it could be underneath. They maybe don't know the depth of the water either or the temperature."

The move is being backed by water safety campaigners who fear that when the poor weather finally ends this summer people will flock to bodies of open water to swim.

Simon Haycock's son Sam drowned in Ulley Reservior in Rotherham in in the summer of 2021.

Simon said: "The first bit of good weather we get, they're just going to be running straight to the water.

"Just ask yourself: is this worth risking your life just for that little bit of fun? It's not, it's devastating. It's devastated us as a family."

Signs have now been put in place around the beach in Bridlington to warn against diving.

The council hopes they also discourage anti-social behaviour like swearing and shouting .

Nigel Brignall from East Riding Yorkshire Council's Anti Social Behaviour Team said: "The bottom line with fines is we don't want to be fining anybody.

"People who do breach the order are potentially of the subject of a £75 fixed penalty notice."